Flexible sheet material rolls having internal supporting means adapted to fall out of a dispenser automatically



P" 5, 1969 P. w. JESPERSEN 3, 8 9

FLEXIBLE SHEET MATERIAL ROLLS HAVING INTERNAL SUPPORTING MEANS ADAPTED TO FALL OUT OF A DISPENSER AUTOMATICALLY Filed March 8, 1967 Sheet of 3 5 INVENTOR P404 V14 fis aesav RNEYS April 15, 1959 P. w. JESPERSEN 3, 38,589

FLEXIBLE SHEET MATERIAL ROLLS HAVING INTERNAL SUPPORTING MEANS ADAPTED TO FALL OUT OF A DISPENSER AUTOMATICALLY Filed March 8, 1967 Sheet Z of 3 IN VENT OR 7-2404 14/. fis zlesav RNEYS A nl 15, 1969 P. w. JESPERSEN 3,438,589

FLEXIBLE SHEET MATERIAL ROLLS HAVING INTERNAL SUPPORTING MEANS ADAPTED TO FALL OUT OF A DISPENSER AUTOMATICALLY Filed March 8, 1967 Sheet ,2 of 3 INVENT OR P404 M/Js aeaay ORNEYS United States Patent US. Cl. 24255.2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A roll of flexible sheet material, such as toilet tissue, having supporting means positioned therein for providing the roll with internal support while it is held in a dispenser, the supporting means being of an axial length unequal to the axial length of the roll and thereby adapted to fall out of the dispenser automatically after the sheet material has been exhausted from thereabout.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention This invention relates to rolls of flexible sheet material Within which are positioned supporting means for providing the rolls with internal support while they are held in a dispenser from which the sheet material may be withdrawn by a user. Specifically, the invention relates to rolls of paper, such as toilet tissue, each having a supporting means, including a cardboard core, positioned therein for providing the rolls with internal support while they are rotatably held in a dispenser from which a user may withdraw the paper as desired. The supporting means are of an axial length unequal to the axial length of the rolls and are thereby adapted to fall out of the dispenser auto-matically after the paper has been exhausted from thereabout.

Description of the prior art Flexible sheet materials conventionally are prepared for marketing and use by winding such materials in rolls to facilitate the storage and periodic consumption thereof by a consumer. Paper products such as toilet tissue and paper toweling are usually prepared for marketing and use in such manner. Generally, a roll of such paper is wound about a supporting means, such as a cardboard core, which provides the roll with internal support while it is rotatably held in a dispenser from which the paper may be withdrawn by a consumer as desired.

One of the problems associated with the prior art toilet tissue rolls is that after the tissue has been exhausted from about the internal supporting means, such means, usually a cardboard core, must be removed from the dispenser by hand before a fresh roll of tissue may be positioned appropriately therein for use. This problem necessitates a significant expenditure of time and money with respect to the maintenance of public and industrial toilet tissue installations because janitorial personnel are required to expend considerable time daily removing the cores of expended tissue rolls from dispensers and inserting fresh rolls therein.

Attempts have been made to provide a toilet tissue roll having an internal supporting means which will be discharged from a dispenser automatically, as exemplified by Perrin Patent 3,214,014. The tissue roll embodiments disclosed in this patent each includes a plurality of axially aligned and abutting core sections which are designed to separate and automatically fall out of a dispenser upon removal of the tissue from thereabout. However, due to the unavoidable axial compression exerted on the aligned 3,438,589 Patented Apr. 15, 1969 "ice core sections by the dispenser, even though of slight magnitude, the core sections generally will not separate freely and fall out of the dispenser after the tissue has been exhausted from thereabout, but will frictionally bind against one another and remain in position in the dispenser.

Other attempts to provide an economically feasible toilet tissue roll having an automatically dischargable internal supporting means have been even less successful.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to flexible sheet material rolls, with particular reference to toilet tissue rolls, having internal supporting means, including cores, positioned therein which are adapted to fall out of a dispenser automatically after the sheet material has been exhausted from thereabout. The present invention thus obviates one of the problems associated with the prior art toilet tissue rolls and thereby minimizes the expense of maintaining public and industrial toilet tissue installations.

The internal supporting means of the tissue rolls of the present invention are of an axial length unequal to the axial length of the rolls, and are thereby adapted to fall out of a dispenser automatically after the tissue has been exhausted from thereabout. Each of the supporting means includes one or more core sections and may be of a greater or lesser axial length than the surrounding roll of toilet tissue.

The supporting means of the embodiments of the invention which encompass the combination of a tissue roll and an internal supporting means therefor of a lesser axial length than the roll, are adapted to merely fall downwardly out of a dispenser after the tissue has been substantially completely removed from about such means. These embodiments include a supporting means which comprises a single core section positioned entirely within a roll, and a supporting means which comprises a plurality of core sections having their adjacent ends axially spaced apart within the roll.

The embodiments of the invention embracing supporting means which are of a greater axial length than the rolls also include means for rotatably supporting the rolls in a dispenser. Such embodiments may be of a unitary or multiple core section construction. The core sections of the multiple core section supporting means embodiments may have their adjacent ends axially spaced apart within the rolls so that the supporting means will fall downwardly out of a dispenser automatically after the surrounding tissue has been substantially expended, similar to the manner in which the above-described supporting means of an axial length less than the rolls are discharged from a dispenser.

Several embodiments of this latter type of supporting means include trunnion means positioned within the core section or sections for rotatably supporting the tissue rolls in a dispenser. In one modification each of the trunnion means has an outwardly opening axial recess formed therein, in which a roll-supporting element of the dispenser may be received incident to axial movement of the supporting means which occurs after the tissue has been substantially exhausted from thereabout, and the supporting means thereby disengaged from the dispenser so that it will automatically fall downwardly therefrom.

In all of the embodiments of the invention the feature thereof which results in the supporting means being automatically discharged from a dispenser is the disparity in axial length between the supporting means and the tissue roll within which such means is disposed.

In addition, the embodiments of the invention which are directed to the combination of a tissue roll and an internal supporting means therefor of a greater axial length than the roll, may be designed in a manner which permits the rolls to be stacked vertically in end-to-end relationship 3 eventhough the supporting means extend axially outwardly beyond the ends of the rolls. The supporting means of these modifications are adapted to be nestably received within one another so that the rolls may be stacked in end-to-end relationship to thereby facilitate packaging and storage of the rolls.

With the foregoing in mind, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an article of manufacturecomprising a roll of flexible sheet material having an internal supporting means therefor, which supporting means will fall out of a dispenser automatically after the sheet material has been substantially exhausted from thereabout.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an article of manufacture comprising a roll of flexible sheet material, such as toilet tissue, having an internal supporting means therefor which is of an axial length unequal to the axial length of the roll, and which supporting means is thereby adapted to fall out of a dispenser automatically after the surrounding sheet material has been substantially expended.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an article of manufacture comprising a roll of toilet tissue having a supporting means therein, including at least one core section, for providing the tissue roll with internal support while it is held in a dispenser, which supporting means is of an axial length unequal to the axial length of the surrounding roll of tissue and is thereby adapted to fall out of the dispenser automatically after the tissue has been substantially exhausted from thereabout.

It is also an object of the invention to provide an article of manufacture comprising a roll of toilet tissue having an internal supporting means therefor which is of a greater axial length than the roll and which extends axially beyond the ends of said roll, wherein the supporting means of one roll may be nestably received within the supporting means of an adjacent roll to thereby permit said rolls to be stacked vertically in end-to-end relationship.

With the foregoing summary of the invention in mind, a description of the preferred embodiments thereof is presented hereinafter in connection with the following drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the scope of the invention is to be limited solely by the scope of the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional elevational view of one embodiment of a toilet tissue roll and the internal supporting means therefor according to the present invention showing the manner in which the roll is rotatably supported in an appropriate dispenser;

FIG. 2 is another cross-sectional elevational view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 showing the manner in which the supporting means automatically falls out of the dispenser after the tissue has been exhausted from thereabout;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional elevational view of two of the embodiments shown in FIG, 1 showing the manner in which the supporting means within one roll may be nestably received by the supporting means within an adjacent roll permitting the rolls to be stacked vertically in end-to-end relationship;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional elevational view of a second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional elevational view of a third embodiment of the invention showing the manner in which the tissue roll of this embodiment may be rotatably supported in an appropriate dispenser;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional plan view of a fourth embodiment of the invention showing the manner in which the tissue roll of this embodiment may be rotatably supported in an appropriate dispenser;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional elevational view of a fifth embodiment of the invention showing the manner in which the supporting means within one roll may be nestably received by the supporting means within an adjacent roll permitting the rolls to be stacked vertically in end-to-end relationship;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional elevational View of a modified trunnion means which may be employed in the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional plan view of a sixth embodiment of the invention showing the manner in which the tissue roll of this embodiment may be rotatably supported in an appropriate dispenser; and

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional plan view of a seventh embodiment of the invention showing the manner in which the tissue roll of this embodiment may be rotatably supported in an appropriate dispenser.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the drawings, FIGS. 1, 5, 6, 7 and 8 show the embodiments of the invention comprising a roll of toilet tissue having an internal supporting means therein of a greater axial length than the surrounding tissue roll. The embodiment shown in FIG. 1 comprises a roll of toilet tissue 10 within which is disposed supporting means 12 for providing roll 10 with internal support while the roll is held in a dispenser from which the tissue may be withdrawn by a user as desired.

Supporting means 12 includes a single cardboard core section 14 which frictionally engages the internal bore 16 of roll 10, Then ends 18 and 20 of core section 14 are substantially coterminous with the ends 22 and 24 of roll 10.

Supporting means 12 also includes trunnion means 26 and 28 positioned, respectively, within core section ends 18 and 20. As will be apparent from FIG. 1, the total axial length of supporting means 12, comprising core section 14 and trunnion means 26 and 28, is greater than the axial length of roll 10.

Trunnion means 26 comprises an annular outer core section-engaging portion 30, and annular inner dispenserengaging portion 32, which portions are joined within bore 16 inwardly from coterminous ends 18 and 22 of core section 14 and roll 10, respectively, by an annular web 34. Outer portion 30, inner portion 32 and web 34 define therebetween an annular recess 36 which opens axially outwardly from trunnion means 26.

Similarly, trunnion means 28 comprises an annular outer core section-engaging portion 38 and an annular inner dispenser-engaging portion 40 which are joined by annular web 42, which portions and web define therebetween an annular recess 44 opening axially outwardly from trunnion means 28.

As shown in FIG. 1, annular inner portion 40 is hollow and has an inside diameter which is greater than the outside diameter of annular inner portion 32. The disparity between the diameters of portions 40 and 32 permits portion 32 within a first roll 10 to be nestably received by portion 40 within an adjacent roll, as described in detail hereinafter, to permit adjacent rolls 10 to be stacked in end-to-end relationship.

An appropriate dispenser for rotatably supporting roll 10 includes channel-shaped guide element 46 within which dispenser-engaging portion 32 of trunnion means 26 is received, and channel-shaped guide element 48 within which dispenser-engaging portion 40 of trunnion means 28 is received. Guide element 46 includes a lower inwardly sloping camming surface 50 which, incident to the gravitational force acting downwardly on roll 10 and supporting means 12, urges the roll and supporting means axially leftwardly as seen in FIG. 1, by cammingly engaging portion 32 of trunnion means 26,

Due to the camming action of surface 50 against portion 32, left end 24 of roll 10 will be urged against the innermost edges 52 of guide element 48. The frictional engagement of roll with edges 52 acts as a rotational brake on the roll to minimize inadvertent or intentional spinning thereof, and thus reduces wasting of the tissue comprising roll 10.

Guide element 48 includes a cutout 54 which is axially aligned with core section 14 and outer portion 38 of trunnion means 28. Below cutout 54, the channel depth of guide element 48 is increased forming a recess 55 in the lower portion thereof. As shown in FIG. 1, recess 55 is axially aligned with inner portion 40 of trunnion means 28; the substantially horizontal lower edge 56 of guide element 48 defining the lower extent of recess 55 and serving as a trunnion means-engaging element for rotatably supporting roll 10 in the dispenser.

Upon exhaustion of the toilet tissue comprising roll 10 from about core section 14, supporting means 12 will be urged to the left by the aforementioned camming action of surface 50 against portion 32, whereupon lower edge 56 of guide element 48 will be received within recess 44, and left end of core section 14 and outer portion 38 of trunnion means 28 will be received within cutout 54, as shown in FIG. 2. Due to the leftward axial movement of supporting means 12, inner portion 32 of trunnion means 26 will become disengaged from lower surface 50 of guide element 46 and the right end of the supporting means will fall out of the dispenser, as shown by the arrow in FIG. 2. After trunnion means 26 disengages from and falls out of the dispenser, trunnion means 28 will be disengaged from guide element 48 and supporting means 12 will fall downwardly out of the dispenser. It will be seen from this description that due to the disparity between the axial lengths of roll 10 and supporting means 12, the supporting means is adapted to fall out of a dispenser automatically after the toilet tissue comprising roll 10 has been exhausted from thereabout.

Two rolls 10 of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1 are shown in FIG. 4 stacked in end-toend relationship to thereby facilitate the packaging and storage thereof. End-to-end stacking of the rolls is made possible by the nestable relationship of trunnion means 26 and 28. As hereinbefore described, the inside diameter of inner portion is greater than the outside diameter of inner portion 32. Therefore, portion 32 of trunnion means 26 of a supporting means 12 within a first roll 10 may be nestably received by portion 40 of trunnion means 28 of the supporting means 12 within a second roll. This nestable relationship between portions 32 and 40 of adjacent rolls 10 permits the rolls to be stacked in end-to-end relationship.

FIG. 5 shows a second embodiment of the invention comprising a roll of toilet tissue 10 and an internal supporting means 58 positioned within the roll. Supporting means 58 includes two core sections 60 and 62. The adjacent ends of sections 60 and 62 abut one another within bore 16 of roll 10 at juncture 63.

Positioned within the outer ends of core sections 60 and 62 are trunnion means 26 and 28, respectively, which are identical to the trunnion means employed in the supporting means 12 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.

After the toilet tissue has been exhausted from about supporting means 58, core section 62 and trunnion means 28 positioned therein are permitted to move axially leftwardly in a dispenser similar to that shown in FIG. 1, permitting core sections 60 and 62 to separate at juncture 63. Thereafter, the core sections individually fall downwardly out of the dispenser as shown by the phantom lines and arrows in FIG. 5.

To facilitate the automatic discharge of supporting means 58 from a dispenser, the inner layer of tissue roll 10 may be secured to core section 62 by an adhesive, such as glue strips 64 and 66. By securing the inner layer of tissue to core section 62, a positive disengagement force is caused to be exerted on that section as the last of the tissue is removed from thereabout, thus promoting leftward axial movement of the core section and the resulting separation of sections 60 and 62.

As will be apparent from this description, supporting means 58, although embodying a plurality of axially aligned and abutting core sections, overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art devices, such as the core section embodiments disclosed in Perrin Patent 3,214,014, by including means which cause at least one of the core sections to move axially outwardly upon exhaustion of the tissue from thereabout, thus ensuring that the abutting core sections will be separated effectively within the dispenser.

A third embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 6 which in many respects is similar to the previously described embodiments. However, this embodiment includes a supporting means 68 comprising core sections 70 and 72 having their respective adjacent ends 71 and 73 axially spaced apart within bore 16. In all other respects, the embodiment of FIG. 6 is identical to the embodiment of FIG. 5.

However, due to the axial space provided between adjacent ends 71 and 73 of core sections 70 and 72, it is unnecessary to provide means within the dispenser which will permit one of the core sections and its associated trunnion means to move axially outwardly upon exhaustion of the tissue from thereabout. Rather, after the tissue has been substantially completely removed from about core sections 70 and 72, due to the axial space between the adjacent ends 71 and 73, the core sections will merely fall downwardly out of the dispenser as shown by the arrows in FIG. 6.

Thus, an appropriate dispenser for the embodiment shown in FIG. 6 may include simple slotted supports 74 and 76 having closed lower ends 75 and 77, respectively. Closed ends 75 and 77 engage inner portions 40 and 32, respectively, of the trunnion means 28 and 26, to thus provide means for rotatably supporting roll 10 in the dispenser.

A fourth embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 7 comprising tissue roll 10 which is wound about a supporting means 80 of a greater axial length than the surrounding roll. Supporting means 80 comprises two axially aligned core sections 82 and 84. Adjacent ends 83 and 85 of sections 82 and 84, respectively, are axially spaced apart within bore 16 of roll 10. Ends 86 and 88 of sections 82 and 84, respectively, which are nearest the ends of roll 10, project axially outwardly therefrom so that the outer portions of the core sections will rotatably support roll 10 in an appropriate dispenser.

As shown in FIG. 7, the dispenser may include two vertically slotted members 90 and 92 which receive the outer portions of core sections 82 and 84, respectively, for rotatably supporting roll 10 in the dispenser, similarly to the manner in which the tissue roll of the embodiment shown in FIG. 6 is held in an appropriate dispenser. After the tissue has been exhausted from about core sections 82 and 84, the sections merely fall downwardly out of the dispenser.

A fifth embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 8, comprising a tissue roll 10 having a supporting means 94 positioned therein. The manner in which adjacent rolls 10 of this embodiment may be stacked in end-to-end relationship is illustrated in FIG, 8.

Supporting means 94 includes core sections 70 and 72 which are identical to the core sections employed in the embodiment of FIG. 6. The adjacent edges 71 and 73 of the core sections are axially spaced apart within bore 16 so that after the tissue has been substantially exhausted from about the core sections, supporting means 94 will collapse and fall downwardly out of an appropriate dispenser.

Inserted into the end of core section 70 nearest the end of roll 10 is a trunnion means 96, and inserted into the end of core section 72 nearest the other end of roll 10 is a trunnion means 98. Trunnion means 96 comprises an annular internal core section-engaging portion 100 and an annular external dispenser-engaging portion 102. External portion 102 is of a lesser diameter than internal portion 100 and is integrally afiixed thereto by an annular collar 104 positioned within bore 16 inwardly from the coterminous ends of core section 70 and roll 10.

T runnion means 98 comprises a hollow annular internal core section-engaging portion 106 and a hollow annular external dispenser-engaging portion 108; external portion 108 being integrally affixed to internal portion 106 adjacent the coterminous ends of core section 72 and roll 10. As shown in FIG. 8, the inside diameters of hollow portions 106 and 108 of trunnion means 98 are greater than the outside diameter of external portion 102 of trunnion means 96. Due to the disparity between the diameters of portion 102, and portions 106 and 108, portion 102 of the supporting means 94 within a first roll may be nestably received by portions 106 and 108 of the supporting means within a second roll and the rolls thereby stacked in end-to-end relationship.

Roll 10 of the embodiment of FIG. 8 may be held in a dispenser which is similar to that shown in FIG. 6, such dispenser having two vertically slotted supports with closed lower ends for engaging external portions 102 and 108 of the trunnion means 96 and 98, respectively.

As will be apparent from the foregoing description, the embodiments of the invention shown in FIGS. 1, 5, 6, 7 and 8 each encompass a roll of toilet tissue having positioned therein a supporting means for providing the roll with internal support while it is held in a dispenser, which supporting means is of a greater axial length than the surrounding roll. More significantly, as has been described in connection with each of the foregoing embodiments, due to the disparity between the axial lengths of the roll and the internal supporting means therefor, the supporting means is adapted to fall out of an appropriate dispenser automatically upon exhaustion of the toilet tissue from thereabout.

A modified trunnion means 110 is shown in FIG. 9 which may be substituted for trunnion means 96 in the embodiment of FIG. 8. Trunnion means 110 is generally similar to the trunnion means 26 and 28 employed in the embodiments of FIGS. 1, and 6, comprising an annular outer core section-engaging portion 112, an annular inner dispenser-engaging portion 114 and an annular web 116 which joins portions 112 and 114 within bore 16 inwardly from the coterminous ends of core section 70 and roll 10. Outer portion 112, inner portion 114 and Web 116 define therebetween an annular recess 118 which extends axially outwardly from trunnion means 110.

The outside diameter of portion 114 of trunnion means 110 is less than the inside diameter of portions 106 and 108 of trunnion means 98, permitting portion 114 to be nestably received by portions 106 and 108, and portion 108 to be nestably received by recess 118. Thus, rolls having trunnion means 98 and 110 therein may be stacked in the same end-to-end relationship as rolls having trun nion means 96 and 98 therein.

However, if trunnion means 110 is substituted for trunnion means 96 in the embodiment of FIG. 8, the outside diameter of external portion 108 of trunnion means 98 should be reduced slightly from that shown in FIG. 8 to ensure that external portion 108 of a first roll may be nestably received by recess 118 of a second roll.

The shapes of trunnion means 26, 28, 96, 98 and 110 are indicative of the numerous trunnion means designs which may be employed in the present invention. The specific trunnion means disclosed are merely exemplary of the numerous equivalent trunnion means configurations which may be employed in the present invention and are not intended to be exhaustive of all appropriate trunnion means shapes.

The embodiments of the invention shown in FIGS. and 11 encompass a roll of toilet tissue having disposed therein an internal supporting means which is of a lesser axial length than the surrounding roll. As in the previously described embodiments, the feature of these latter embodiments which permits the supporting means to be automatically discharged from a dispenser is the disparity between the axial lengths of the supporting means and the surrounding tissue roll.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 10 comprises a roll of tissue 10 within which is disposed an internal supporting means 120. Supporting means 120 consists of axially aligned core sections 122 and 124 having their respective adjacent ends 126 and 128 axially spaced apart within bore 16. The ends of core sections 122 and 124 nearest the ends of roll 100 are substantially coterminous therewith as shown in FIG. 10.

An appropriate dispenser for holding the roll of this embodiment may comprise supporting arms 130 and 132 which are positioned adjacent each end of the roll. Journaled in the extremities of arms 130 and 132 are truncated spindles 134 and 136, respectively.

Spindle 134 is inserted into the end of core section 124 nearest the end of roll 10. Similarly, spindle 136 is inserted into the end of core section 122 nearest the other end of roll 10. In this manner, roll 10 is rotata-bly supported in the dispenser so that a user may withdraw toilet tissue therefrom as desired.

After the tissue has been substantially exhausted from about core sections 122 and 124, the core sections will become disengaged from spindles 13-4 and 136 and fall downwardly out of the dispenser as shown by the phantom lines and arrows in FIG. 10.

A final embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 11. This embodiment comprises a tissue roll 10 and an internal supporting means 138 positioned interiorally thereof within bore 16. Supporting means 138 consists of a single core section 140 having an axial length less than the axial length of roll 10 and having its ends positioned within bore 16 displaced inwardly from the ends of roll 10.

The roll of this embodiment may be held in a dispenser which is generally similar to the dispenser described above in connection with the embodiment of FIG. 10. However, truncated spindles 142 and 144 of the dispenser shown in FIG. 11 are of a greater diameter than the spindles 134 and 136 of the previously described dispenser because spindles 142 and 144 are inserted into the ends of bore 16 and bear directly against tissue roll 10 instead of hearing against one or more core sections as in the previous embodiment.

After the tissue has been substantially exhausted from about core section 140, the core section will merely fall downwardly out of the dispenser.

The feature of the invention which is common not only to the relatively simple embodiments of FIGS. 10 and 11 but is common also to the previously described embodiments is that the internal supporting means positioned within a tissue roll is of a disparate axial length with respect to the axial length of the surrounding roll. The embodiments of FIGS. 10 and 11 incorporate this concept in a combination embodying a supporting means which is of a lesser axial length than the roll, whereas the embodiments of FIGS. 1, 5, 6, 7 and 8 encompass the combination of a supporting means which is of a greater axial length than the surrounding tissue roll. However, in all of the embodiments of the invention this is the feature which permits the internal supporting means to be discharged from an appropriate dispenser automatically after the tissue has been substantially exhausted from thereabout.

It will be seen that in the embodiments of the invention shown in FIGS. 7, 10 and 11, this resultant is achieved by employing a supporting means consisting of one or more core sections which have their ends axially displaced with respect to the ends of the surrounding roll.

A similar result is achieved in the embodiments of FIGS. 1, S, 6 and 8 by utilizing trunnion means which project axially outwardly beyond the ends of the roll. Thus, in these latter embodiments the ends of the supporting means, which include the trunnion means, are also axially displaced with respect to the roll ends. The axial displacement of the ends of'the supporting means beyond the ends of the surrounding roll permits the supporting means to provide, in addition to internal support for the roll, a means for rotatably supporting the roll in an appropriate dispenser. Due to this feature of the invention, the structure of the dispensers which may be used with such embodiments are relatively simple and inexpensive.

The embodiments of the invention shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, which encompass a supporting means which does not project axially outwardly beyond the ends of the roll, require a more elaborate dispenser for holding the roll in an appropriate dispensing position. Thus, the dispensers shown in connection with the embodiments of FIGS. 10 and 11 are structurally more elaborate than the dispensers shown in connection with the other embodiments of the invention. However, it will be appreciated that the supporting means employed in the embodiments of FIGS. 10 and 11 are extremely simple and inexpensive, consisting merely of one or a plurality of cardboard core sections.

Thus, a prospective user may select that embodiment of the invention which will best suit his needs for a particular toilet tissue installation. The user is accorded the choice of an extremely simple and inexpensive tissue roll and supporting means combination for use with a dispenser employing several moving parts, or a slightly more expensive and complicated tissue roll and supporting means combination for use with a dispenser having essentially no moving parts.

Whichever embodiment of the invention a user selects, however, a substantial savings will be realized with respect to the expense of maintaining toilet tissue installations due to the automatically dischargeable supporting means of each of the embodiments, which is attributable to the disparate lengths of the supporting means and the surrounding roll of tissue.

The foregoing description of the preferred embodiments is intended to be illustrative of the present invention and in no way limiting thereof.

I claim:

1. An article of manufacture comprising:

a roll of flexible sheet material having a bore extending axially therethrough; and

supporting means positioned within said roll for providing the roll with internal support while said roll is held in a dispenser from which the flexible sheet material may be withdrawn by a user, said supporting means having an axial length unequal to the axial length of said roll and comprising a core section fricitionally engaging the surface of said bore and having its ends substantially coterminous with the ends of said roll, and a trunnion means positioned within each end of said core section and extending axially outwardly therefrom beyond the coterminous ends of said core section and roll for rotatably supporting the roll in the dispenser, each of said trunnion means comprising an annular outer core sectionengaging portion, an annular inner dispenser-engaging portion and an annular web joining said outer and inner portions within said bore inwardly from the coterminous ends of said core section and roll, said outer portion, inner portion and web defining therebetween an annular recess opening axially outwardly from the end of each of said trunnion means, the inner portion of one of said trunnion means being hollow and having an inside diameter greater than the outside diameter of the inner portion of the other of said trunnion means, whereby the inner portion of said other trunnion means of the supporting means within a first roll may be nestably received within the inner portion of said one trunnion means of the supporting means within a second roll, and the inner portion of said one trunnion means of the supporting means within said second roll may be nestably received within the recess defined by the outer portion, inner portion and web of said other trunnion means of the supporting means within said first roll, so that said first and second rolls may thereby be stacked with the end of one roll positioned adjacent the end of the other roll.

2. An article of manufacture as recited in claim 1, wherein said supporting means comprises a plurality of axially aligned core sections having their ends nearest the ends of said roll substantially coterminous therewith, and said trunnion means are positioned within the ends of said core sections nearest the ends of said roll.

3. An article of manufacture as recited in claim 2, wherein the adjacent ends of said core sections are axially spaced apart Within said bore.

4. An article of manufacture as recited in claim 1, wherein one of said trunnion means comprises a hollow annular internal core section-engaging portion and a hollow annular external dispenser-engaging portion, said external portion being integrally aflixed to said internal portion adjacent one end of said core section, the inside diameters of said internal and external portions being greater than the outside diameter of said inner portion of the other trunnion means, whereby the external portion of said one trunnion means of the supporting means within a first roll may be nestably received within the recess defined by said outer portion, inner portion and web of said other trunnion means of the supporting means within a second roll and the inner portion of said other trunnion means of the supporting means within said second roll may be nestably received within the internal and external portions of said one trunnion means of the supporting means Within said first roll, so that said first and second rolls may thereby be stacked with the end of one roll positioned adjacent the end of the other roll.

5. An article of manufacture as recited in claim 1, wherein one of said trunnion means comprises a first annular external dispenser-engaging portion, said first external portion being integrally affixed to said first internal portion within said bore inwardly from one end of said core section by an annular collar, and the other of said trunnion means comprises a hollow, second annular internal core section-engaging portion and a hollow, second annular external dispenser-engaging portion, said second external portion integrally aflixed to said second internal portion adjacent the other end of said core section, the inside diameters of said second internal and external portions being greater than the outside diameter of said first external portion, whereby the first external portion of said one trunnion means of the supporting means within a first roll may be nestably received within the second internal and external portions of said other trunnion means of the supporting means within a second roll, so that said first and second rolls may thereby be stacked with the end of one roll positioned adjacent the end of the other roll.

6. An article of manufacture comprising:

a dispenser;

a roll of flexible sheet material having a bore extending axially therethrough;

supporting means positioned within said roll for providing the roll with internal support while said roll is held in the dispenser and also for rotatably supporting the roll in a dispensing position within the dispenser so that the flexible sheet material may be withdrawn by a user, said supporting means having an axial length unequal to the axial length of said roll and comprising a core section frictionally engaging the surface of said bore and having its ends substantially coterminous with the ends of said roll, and a trunnion means positioned within each end of said core section and extending axially outwardly therefrom beyond the coterimnous ends of said core section and roll for rotatably supporting the roll in the dispenser, each said trunnion means comprising an annular outer core-section engaging portion, an annular inner dispenser-engaging portion and an an nular web joining said outer and inner portions within said bore inwardly from the coterminous ends of said core section and roll, said outer portion, inner portion and web defining therebetween an annular recess opening axially outwardly from the end of said trunnion means;

a first trunnion means-engaging member afiixed to the dispenser and having a supporting edge rotatably engaging the inner portion of one of said trunnion means for rotatably supporting one end of the roll and supporting means, said edge being receivable within the recess defined by the outer portion, inner portion and web of said one trunnion means when the roll and supporting means are moved axially toward said first member;

a second trunnion means-engaging member aflixed to the dispenser and having a camming surface rotatably engaging the inner portion of the other of said trunnion means for rotatably supporting the other end of the roll and supporting means, said camming surface being sloped downwardly and toward said first member for urging the roll and supporting means axially toward said first member; and

means associated with said first member for engaging the end of the roll nearest said first member and preventing the roll and supporting means from moving axially toward said first member until a predetermined amount of the flexible sheet material has been exhausted from the roll; whereby when said predetermined amount of the flexible sheet material has been exhausted from the roll, the roll disengages said engaging means and the roll and supporting means are moved axially toward said first member by the action of gravity and the urging of said camming surface, so that the recess defined by said one trunnion means receives said supporting edge therein and the inner portion of said other trunnion means disengages and falls free of said camming surface, whereupon the roll and supporting means automatically fall downwardly away from the dispensing posi tion.

7. An article of manufacture as recited in claim 6, wherein said supporting means comprises a plurality of axially aligned core sections having their ends nearest the ends of said roll substantially coterminous therewith, and said trunnion means are positioned within the ends of said core sections nearest the ends of said roll.

8. An article of manufacture as recited in claim 7, wherein the adjacent ends of said core sections are axially spaced apart within said bore.

9. An article of manufacture comprising:

a roll of flexible sheet material having a bore extending axially therethrough; and

supporting means positioned within said roll for providing the roll with internal support while said roll is held in a dispenser and also for rotatably supporting the roll in a dispensing position within the dispenser so that the flexible sheet material may be withdrawn by a user, said supporting means being of an axial length unequal to the axial length of said roll and comprising a plurality of axially aligned core sections frictionally engaging the surface of said bore, the ends of said core sections nearest the ends of said roll projecting axially outwardly therebeyond and the adjacent ends of said core sections being axially spaced apart within said bore so that when the flexible sheet material is substantially exhausted from about said core sections the supporting means will collapse between said adjacent core section ends and the supporting means will automatically fall from the dispensing position.

10. An article of manufacture comprising:

a roll of flexible sheet material having a bore extending axially therethrough; and

supporting means positioned within said roll for providing the roll with internal support while said roll is held in a dispenser and also for rotatably supporting the roll in a dispensing position within the dispenser so that the flexible sheet material may be withdrawn by a user, said supporting means having an axial length unequal to the axial length of said roll and comprising at least one core section frictionally engaging the surface of said bore, at least one end of said core section being substantially coterminous with an end of said roll, and trunnion means positioned within said core section and extending axially outwardly therefrom beyond the coterminous ends of said core section and roll for rotatably supporting the roll in the dispensing position, said trunnion means comprising an annular outer core section-engaging portion, an annular inner dispenser-engaging portion and an annular web joining said outer and inner portions within said bore inwardly from the coterminous ends of said core section and roll, said outer portion, inner portion and web defining therebetween an annular recess opening axially outwardly from the end of said trunnion means for receiving a trunnion means-engaging element of the dispenser therein upon axial movement of said supporting means toward said element so that upon substantial exhaustion of the flexible sheet material from about the core section, the supporting means may be moved axially toward the trunnion means-engaging element and thereupon automatically discharged from the dispensing position.

11. An article of manufacture as recited in claim 10, wherein said supporting means comprises a single core section having its ends substantially coterminous with the ends of said roll, and wherein one of said trunnion means is positioned within each end of said core section and extends axially outwardly therefrom beyond the coterminous ends of said core section and roll.

12. An article of manufacture as recited in claim 11, wherein" the inner portion of one of said trunnion means is hollow and has an inside diameter greater than the outside diameter of the inner portion of the other of said trunnion means, whereby the inner portion of said other trunnion means of the supporting means within a first roll may be nestably received within the inner portion of said one trunnion means of the supporting means within a second roll, and said first and second rolls thereby stacked with the end of one roll positioned adjacent the end of the other roll.

13. An article of manufacture as recited in claim 10, wherein said supporting means includes a plurality of axially aligned core sections having their ends nearest the ends of said roll substantially coterminous therewith.

14. An article of manufacture as recited in claim 13, wherein said supporting means includes one of said trunnion means positioned within the ends of said core sections nearest the ends of said roll and extending axially outwardly therefrom beyond the coterminous ends of said core sections and roll.

15. An article of manufacture as recited in claim 14, wherein one of said trunnion means comprises a first annular internal core section-engaging portion and a first annular external dispenser-engaging portion, said first external portion being integrally afiixed to said first internal portion within said bore inwardly from the coterminous ends of one of said core sections and roll by an annular collar, and the other of said trunnion means comprises a hollow, second annular internal core section-engaging portion and a hollow, second annular external dispenser-engaging portion, said second external portion being integrally aflixed to said second internal portion adjacent the coterrninous ends of another of said core sections and roll, the inside diameters of said sec ond internal and external portions being greater than the outside diameter of said first external portion, whereby said first external portion of said one trunnion means of the supporting means within a first roll may be nestably received within said second internal and external portions of said other trunnion means of the supporting means within a second roll, and said first and second rolls thereby stacked with the end of one roll positioned adjacent the end of the other roll.

16. An article of manufacture as recited in claim 14, wherein one of said trunnion means comprises a hollow annular internal core section-engaging portion and a hollow annular external dispenser-engaging portion, said external portion being integrally aifixed to said internal portion adjacent the coterminous ends of one of said core sections and roll, the inside diameters of said internal and external portions of said one trunnion means being greater than the outside diameter of said inner portion of the other of said trunnion means, whereby said external portion of said one trunnion means of the supporting means within a first roll may be nestably received within the recess defined by said outer portion, inner portion and web of said other trunnion means of the supporting means within a second roll and said inner portion of said other trunnion means of the supporting means within said second roll may be nestably received Within said hollow internal and external portions of said one trunnion means of the supporting means within said first roll, so that said first and second rolls may thereby be stacked with the end of one roll positioned adjacent the end of the other roll.

17. An article of manufacture as recited in claim 14,

wherein the adjacent ends of said core sections are axially spaced apart within said bore.

18. An article of manufacture as recited in claim 14, wherein the adjacent ends of said core sections abut one another within said bore.

19. An article of manufacture as recited in claim 18, wherein the layer of flexible sheet material adjacent said core sections is secured to one of said core sections by an adhesive.

20. An article of manufacture as recited in claim 14, wherein the inner portion of one of said trunnion means is hollow and has an inside diameter greater than the outside diameter of the inner portion of the other of said trunnion means, whereby the inner portion of said other trunnion means of the supporting means within a first roll may be nestably received within the inner portion of said one trunnion means of the supporting means within a second roll, and said first and second rolls thereby stacked with the end of one roll positioned adjacent the end of the other roll.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,919,769 7/1933 Brown et al. 24268.6 3,029,035 4/1962 Layton 242-68.4 X 3,034,739 5/1962 Barger 242--55.2 X 3,089,659 5/ 1963 Perrin 242-552 3,156,425 10/ 1964 Mynchenberg 24255.53 3,211,504 10/1965 Bump 24255.3 X 3,214,014 10/1965 Perrin 24268.5 X 3,297,155 1/1967 Gattenby et al. 242--68.5 X

GEORGE F. MAUTZ, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 2065 8 

